Sherman Alexie's The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fist Fight in Heaven is a collection of interconnected short stories about Native Americans and reservation life.
What I like best about this work was Alexie's poetic language use in his storytelling. It's crystal clear that storytelling is more than a hobby or even a passion, but a vital piece of heritage. Alexie's prose is beautifully haunted and poignant as he narrates life on a reservation from the point of view of a few of its residents. We get a glimpse (because only a small glimpse is possible into something so vast and deep) into the strength, coverage, and bravery of Native Americans as well as the extreme suffering, injustice, and pain. I'm not much of a poetry person, but Alexie's writing made me gain a better appreciation for the naturally poetic nuances of language.
The main thing that stopped me from loving this book was the format of the novel. I'm not much of a fan of short story collections. Often the disjointed interconnectedness is confusing for me and it makes it hard for me to follow what I'm reading. In the case of The Lone Ranger and Tonto, I was mostly confused by which of the characters were speaking in each given story. In the beginning, it was clear that Victor was the narrator, but for the second half I couldn't figure out who was speaking. It made it difficult for me to fall into the stories. I'm not sure if it was due to not reading closely enough, but even re-reading didn't help.
Going back to the writing--The stories themselves, if I forced myself to see them as unconnected, stand-alone stories, were quite enjoyable. I loved the quiet, unassuming strength of the narrator voices, especially as they used humor as a strong weapon against the many issues in their lives. The comic relief was poignant in highlighting the stark reality, leaving readers with a bitter sweet feelings. By the end, you know that things may not necessarily change for the better, but that the narrators will continue to fight with insurmountable inner strength and heart.
Princess Reads A Lot LIKES this book a whole lot!
It made her smile and she's sure glad she read it.
The main thing that stopped me from loving this book was the format of the novel. I'm not much of a fan of short story collections. Often the disjointed interconnectedness is confusing for me and it makes it hard for me to follow what I'm reading. In the case of The Lone Ranger and Tonto, I was mostly confused by which of the characters were speaking in each given story. In the beginning, it was clear that Victor was the narrator, but for the second half I couldn't figure out who was speaking. It made it difficult for me to fall into the stories. I'm not sure if it was due to not reading closely enough, but even re-reading didn't help.
Going back to the writing--The stories themselves, if I forced myself to see them as unconnected, stand-alone stories, were quite enjoyable. I loved the quiet, unassuming strength of the narrator voices, especially as they used humor as a strong weapon against the many issues in their lives. The comic relief was poignant in highlighting the stark reality, leaving readers with a bitter sweet feelings. By the end, you know that things may not necessarily change for the better, but that the narrators will continue to fight with insurmountable inner strength and heart.
FINAL VERDICT:
Princess Reads A Lot LIKES this book a whole lot!
It made her smile and she's sure glad she read it.
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